Seeking to improve communication and coordination between the Indian River County Commission and the three municipalities of Fellsmere, Sebastion, and Vero Beach, County Commission Chairman Joe Earman asked the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council to facilitate a series of meetings. The Council was engaged to facilitate as an interested and informed, yet neutral party and the work was done as part of general technical assistance provided to member local governments in the Region.

At each of the meetings, a specific list of items was discussed based on an agenda jointly created by the County and City chief administrators and in consultation with Council staff. In two of the three meetings the venue was located on “neutral ground” at County library branches. The third meeting, while held at City Hall, was not hosted in the City Council Chambers. This helped to minimize any perceptions of home field advantage and ensured equal footing for each elected body. Progress on shared concerns and a desire for future coordination was the result of each meeting. The Treasure Coast RPC looks forward to facilitating regular meetings for each jurisdiction to continue to strengthen relationships.

Supporting communities successfully through economic recovery, preparing for the impacts of the next natural disaster, and identifying best practices to create resilience and sustainability for the future, Florida's regional planning councils have led the way this year. RPCs bring local knowledge to create regional solutions and make impacts statewide on the shared problems and unlimited opportunities of Florida's communities. The 2022-2023 Annual Report reflects the diverse work of RPCs in the past year.